Monday, February 26, 2024

View from the Peak - Everything coming to Paramount+ in March 2024

 

Next month marks three years of Paramount+ and we are proud to continue to be a premiere streaming destination for news, sports and a Mountain of Entertainment. 

In March, viewers will be transported through time to the opulence of the 1920s in the page-to-screen adaption of A Gentleman in Moscow starring Ewan McGregor. Hearts will soar when Little Wing, a family film about a young girl and a very special bird, takes flight. And sports fans will cheer as they stream both the NCAA Division I Men's Basketball Championship games on CBS and UEFA Champions League matches that determine this year’s quarterfinalists. 

For a closer look at all the entertainment coming to Paramount+ in March, check out the latest edition of View from the Peak.  


PEAK
STREAMING

This month, sports fans live streamed all the action of Super Bowl LVIII on Paramount+, delivering the most-streamed Super Bowl in history with an increase of +52% in Average Minute Audience over the previous year.

Streaming engagement was at an all-time high when viewers tuned in for the game, Usher's halftime show and Reba McEntire’s national anthem. Paramount+ scored the most minutes consumed for a Super Bowl stream with 2.64 billion minutes, making it the first Super Bowl stream to generate more than 2 billion minutes of consumption. 

Fan excitement was over-the-top, and Super Bowl LVIII is the #1 most social telecast in history with a total of 62.8 million interactions, up 27% year-over-year.

Live sports such as the NFL ON CBS is one of the top sign-up drivers for the service. Once viewers tune in to watch a live event, they tend to stay to enjoy our variety of content that extends across genres. In fact, almost 90% of the viewing hours during these subscribers' lifetimes come from non-sports content. In particular, following the Super Bowl, Halo, which returned to the service for its second season just days before, saw strong engagement.

★  BACK TO TOP  ★


BEHIND
THE STREAMS

Mary Elizabeth Winstead, Ewan McGregor and Alexa Goodall in A Gentleman in Moscow.

Next month, A Gentleman in Moscow, the highly anticipated adaptation of The New York Times best-selling novel by Amor Towles, debuts for Paramount+ with SHOWTIME subscribers. Set in post-revolutionary Russia, the limited series stars Ewan McGregor as Count Alexander Ilyich Rostov, an aristocrat sentenced to a lifetime of house arrest at The Hotel Metropol.

Rostov’s imprisonment meant that the hotel itself needed special attention throughout the series, so the production team built its version of the iconic building from scratch. “The Metropol Hotel is our world and it’s integral to the story,” said showrunner Ben Vanstone. “We stayed within the bounds of the hotel so it had to have the color, life and dynamism to keep our interest.”

As the world moves on, Rostov’s opulent domain remains unchanged. “It’s kind of a gilded cage that he’s in,” Vanstone said. “We wanted to have a sense that, while it may look beautiful with fantastic lights, decorations, plants and flowers, ultimately it’s still a prison.”


Lock yourself away when A Gentleman in Moscow premieres on Paramount+ with SHOWTIME on March 29.

★  BACK TO TOP  ★


IN THE
SPOTLIGHT

Kelly Reilly and Brooklynn Prince in Little Wing

The upcoming Paramount+ Original movie Little Wing introduces viewers to Kaitlyn (Brooklynn Prince), a teen looking to help her mother (Kelly Reilly) save their home. We recently sat down with Prince to learn about how she prepared for the role and her introduction to the unusual world of pigeon racing, which is central to the story.  

Tell us a little bit about your process for finding this character. 

The first thing I did was make a Kaitlyn playlist. I downloaded music I thought the character would like, which included artists like Green Day, Evanescence, No Doubt, Kathleen Hanna, The Ramones and many more. I also worked very closely with my mom, who also is my acting coach, on the approach we wanted to take with her. We felt that Kaitlyn needed a perfect blend of sass and vulnerability; she has so many layers that needed to be seen to make her feel like a real teen. 

Before working on this film had you ever heard about pigeon racing?  

It was something I never even knew existed. I thought it was fascinating how you can release all these pigeons that eventually find their way home. It shows you how intelligent they are and how home really has an effect on all of us. 

Did you have any favorite pigeons you worked with on the set? 

OMG! YES! I really connected with a few of the pigeons, but Apollo (who played the Granger) really stole my heart. Honestly, he’s the true MVP of the whole movie; sorry Brian [Cox]! Our bird handlers, Lauren and Roland, were so amazing and patient with me since I was nervous with the birds, at first, but I’ve grown to really love pigeons! 

This film has such a phenomenal cast. What was it like working with everyone, especially legends like Brian Cox and Kelly Reilly? 

Legends is right! Working with such great actors sometimes is super scary, so I just always felt the need to rise to every occasion to make them proud of me. Kelly was so much fun; she brought girl power to the set every day. There was a lot of testosterone on set, so it was nice to have her there. Brian and I got to spend a lot of time together, and I enjoyed every second. He told me so many amazing stories about his life and the theater and gave me a lot of advice. I feel so blessed by this cast. 

Is there anything else you want to share about Little Wing? 

Little Wing is a story for everybody. Everyone in the family is able to connect to a character. I hope it allows families to talk about mental health so that we, as human beings, can understand each other. Being a teen is hard, and everything feels big when you’re my age. I also think the movie is a great reminder to adults of what it feels like to be young and experience huge emotions.

Race to Paramount+ when Little Wing premieres on March 13. 

★  BACK TO TOP  ★


HIGH
SCORE

Milan Škriniar and Kylian Mbappé from Paris Saint-Germain

Football season has ended, but fútbol fans are more than ready to stream CBS Sports’ coverage of UEFA Champions League round of 16 matches. These games determine which teams will head to the quarterfinals for soccer's most prestigious annual trophy. 

Paramount+ is the only place to watch every English-language UEFA Champions League match live in the U.S., and this year is already our most-streamed season ever. Notable matches to watch out for include Bayern Munich vs. Lazio on March 5, Real Madrid vs. RB Leipzig on March 6 and Barcelona vs. Napoli on March 12. 

WATCH THE UEFA CHAMPIONS LEAGUE SUPER BOWL AD SPOT



DID
YOU KNOW?

Carra Patterson and Carrie Preston in Elsbeth
  • In celebration of Women’s History Month, our Women Who Move Mountains collection shines a light on the real and fictional ladies who inspire us. New additions to the curated collection include June, a documentary that showcases the many talents of country-music legend June Carter Cash; Elsbeth, the brand-new The Good Wife spinoff, which sees the return of Carrie Preston as fan-favorite lawyer Elsbeth Tascioni; Special Ops: Lioness, which features powerful performances by Zoe Saldaña, Laysla De Oliveira and Nicole Kidman, and many more shows and films that tell women's stories.
     
  • The fictional town of Hiddenville is poised for some big adventures when The Thundermans Return premieres on the service. In the film, super-powered teens Phoebe and Max are sent back to their hometown to lie low, but a nefarious supervillain has other plans. While fans wait for the new movie, they can relive the Thundermans’ earlier adventures with all four seasons of the hit Nickelodeon series, available to stream now.

  • Paramount+’s The Lodge is back with a new cross-country tour, including a pop-up at SXSW in Austin from March 8-11. Featuring new interactive experiences, The Lodge brings iconic Paramount+ franchises and beloved characters to fans and new audiences. Find more information about the tour schedule here.
WATCH THE THUNDERMANS RETURN TRAILER

STREAMING
SOON

Kevin James, Leah Remini and Jerry Stiller in The King of Queens

Next month, fans can expect lots of laughs when all nine seasons of the beloved CBS sitcom The King of Queens debuts on Paramount+. The series centers on Doug (Kevin James) and Carrie Heffernan (Leah Remini), a middle-class couple living in Queens, NY who must contend with both modern life and Carrie’s cantankerous father Arthur (Jerry Stiller).

Speaking of classic comedies, some of our favorite laugh riots are joining the service in March including Airplane!Airplane II: The SequelComing to AmericaTommy BoyBlack SheepWayne’s WorldNot Another Teen MovieRaising Arizona and more

ORIGINALS, EXCLUSIVES, PREMIERES & EVENTS

3/1: War Pony premiere*
Bound by their shared search for belonging, two young Oglala Lakota men growing up on the Pine Ridge Reservation grapple with a world built against them as they navigate their unique paths to manhood.

3/6: Raging Grace premiere*
Winner of the Grand Jury Award at the 2023 SXSW Film Festival, this film follows the struggles of an undocumented Filipina immigrant who takes a job caring for an extremely wealthy but terminally ill old man. 


3/7: The Thundermans Return premiere
The epic adventures of a superhero family, introduced in the hit Nickelodeon series, continue in a brand new movie. When one save goes wrong, the Thundermans are sent back to Hiddenville.

3/12: Never Seen Again, season five premiere
In this gripping true-crime series, family members recount the last time they saw their loved ones before they vanished into thin air.

3/13: Little Wing premiere
Inspired by The New Yorker article by Susan Orlean, Little Wing follows Kaitlyn, a teen who is reeling from her parents’ divorce and the pending loss of her home. When stealing a valuable bird, Kaitlyn forms a bond with the owner that leads her to a new outlook on life.

3/29: A Gentleman in Moscow premiere*
An adaptation of Amor Towles’ internationally best-selling novel, A Gentleman in Moscow follows Count Alexander Rostov who, in the aftermath of the Russian Revolution, is sentenced to house arrest in the opulent Hotel Metropol. 

3/30: Beyond The Aggressives: 25 Years Later premiere*
In 2005, the groundbreaking film The Aggressives showcased the remarkable stories of queer BIPOC individuals Chin, Octavio, Trevon, and Kisha. Now, nearly 20 years later, the same four protagonists reunite to reflect on their past and envision new futures.

LIBRARY SHOWS

March 6

Air Warriors (Season 11)

March 7

CBS News Specials: State of the Union Address

March 8

Blaze and the Monster Machines: Blaze of Glory
Blaze and the Monster Machines: Race to the Top of the World!


March 13

America's Hidden Stories (Season 3)
Black Ink Crew Los Angeles (Season 2)
Black Ink Crew New York (Season 10)
Peppa Pig (Season 9)
The Amazing Race (Season 36)**


March 20

The Last Cowboy (Season 4)

March 25

The King of Queens (Seasons 1-9)

March 27

Behind the Music (Season 2)
LL Cool J Presents: The Rock the Bells Festival - Celebrating 50 Years of Hip-Hop
Ten Steps to Disaster (Season 2)


MOVIES

March 1

13 Hours: The Secret Soldiers of Benghazi
Airplane II: The Sequel
Airplane!
All About the Benjamins
An Elephant's Journey*
Angela's Ashes
At Any Price
Awakenings*
Black Sheep (1996)
Blood Out*
Burnt*
Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs
Coming to America
Deception (2008)
Disturbia
Drugstore Cowboy*
Enough Said
Flatliners (1990)
Flyboys*
Footloose (1984)
Frank Miller's Sin City*
Freelancers*
Guns Akimbo*
Happy-Go-Lucky*
In Bloom*
In Too Deep (1999)
Inside Llewyn Davis
Jagged Edge
Lizzie*
Miller's Crossing
Noah (2004)
Not Another Teen Movie
Once Upon a Time in America
Raising Arizona
Requiem for a Dream*
Scouts Guide to the Zombie Apocalypse
Seabiscuit
Sleepy Hollow
St. Elmo's Fire*
The Abyss (1989)
The Big Short
The Brady Bunch Movie
The Dictator
The Drop
The Gift*
The Girl Next Door
The Good Girl
The Outsiders (1983)
The Vatican Tapes* 
The Warriors (1979)
Tommy Boy
Wayne's World
William Shakespeare's Romeo + Juliet


March 2

The Accused

March 2

This Is Where I Leave You

March 3

Paranormal Activity: The Ghost Dimension

March 8

Home Again (2017)*

March 10

What Happens Later*

March 11

Sleeping with Other People*

March 19

Carol (2015)*

March 31

Set Up*

SPORTS

3/1: Serie A – Lazio vs. AC Milan
3/2-3/3: Concacaf W Gold Cup Quarterfinals
3/2: NCAA Men’s Basketball – Arkansas @ Kentucky*
3/2: NCAA Men’s Basketball – USC @ Washington*
3/3: NCAA Men’s Basketball – Seton Hall @ UConn*
3/3: NCAA Men’s Basketball – Indiana @ Maryland*
3/3: NCAA Men’s Basketball – Michigan @ Ohio State*
3/3: Serie A – Napoli vs. Juventus
3/3: Barclays Women’s Super League – Arsenal vs. Tottenham
3/4-3/6: AFC Champions League Quarterfinals Leg 1
3/5: UEFA Champions League – Bayern Munich vs. Lazio
3/5: UEFA Champions League – Real Sociedad vs. PSG
3/6: UEFA Champions League – Real Madrid vs. RB Leipzig
3/6: UEFA Champions League – Manchester City vs. Copenhagen
3/6: Concacaf W Gold Cup Semifinals
3/7: UEFA Europa League Round of 16 Leg 1
3/7: UEFA Europa Conference League Round of 16 Leg 1
3/9: NCAA Men’s Basketball – Memphis @ FAU*
3/9: NCAA Men’s Basketball – Texas A&M @ Ole Miss*
3/9: NCAA Men’s Basketball – Kentucky @ Tennessee*
3/10: NCAA Women’s Basketball – Big Ten Conference Women’s Championship*
3/10: NCAA Men’s Basketball – Missouri Valley Conference Men’s Championship*
3/10: NCAA Men’s Basketball – Michigan State @ Indiana*
3/10: Concacaf W Gold Cup Final
3/11-3/13: AFC Champions League Quarterfinals Leg 1
3/12: UEFA Champions League – Barcelona vs. Napoli
3/12: UEFA Champions League – Arsenal vs. Porto
3/13: UEFA Champions League – Borussia Dortmund vs. PSV
3/13: UEFA Champions League – Atlético Madrid vs. Inter Milan
3/14: UEFA Europa League Round of 16 Leg 2
3/14: UEFA Europa Conference League Round of 16 Leg 2
3/15: UEFA Champions League Quarterfinals Draw
3/16: NCAA Men’s Basketball – Big Ten Men’s Semifinals*
3/16: NCAA Men’s Basketball – Mountain West Men’s Championship*
3/17: NCAA Men’s Basketball – Atlantic 10 Men’s Championship*
3/17: NCAA Men’s Basketball – Big Ten Men’s Championship*
3/17: NCAA Men’s Basketball Championship Selection Show*
3/21: Concacaf Nations League – USA vs. Jamaica
3/21: Concacaf Nations League – Panama vs. Mexico
3/24: Concacaf Nations League Final & Third-Place Match
3/30: Formula E – 2024 Tokyo E-Prix*
3/30: Sail GP – Abu Dhabi Sail Grand Prix*
3/30: NCAA Division II Men’s Basketball Championship*
3/31: PBR – Professional Bull Riders Nampa*
Throughout March: NCAA Division I Men’s Basketball Championship*
Throughout March: Italian Serie A competition
Throughout March: Concacaf W Gold Cup competition
Throughout March: Concacaf Nations League competition
Throughout March: Scottish Professional Football League competition
Throughout March: UEFA Europa League competition
Throughout March: UEFA Europa Conference League competition
Throughout March: Barclays Women’s Super League competition
Throughout March: Argentina Liga Profesional de Fútbol competition


* Title is available to Paramount+ with SHOWTIME subscribers.

**All Paramount+ with SHOWTIME subscribers can live stream CBS titles via the live feed on Paramount+. Those titles will be available on-demand to all subscribers the day after they air live.

Dates for library titles are subject to change.

Sunday, February 25, 2024

57 Channels and Only This Is On: February 25, 2024

 

 True Detective:  Wait, the dead lady broke their toy so they all gang stabbed her?  What an absolutely stupid ending.  Disappointing they are letting that writer take another stab at the property.

 

Death and Other Details: Just when I thought this show could not get any worse, the chick who cannot act tried to act like Manny Patinkin for half the episode.  Ooof.

 

The Challenge: Battle for a New Challenge:  Oooof, after all that Emmanuel wins.  He is maybe the least deserving winner in the history of the show.  Please stop casting people who first language is not English.

 

Halo:  Maybe this show should just skip the lore are any resemblance to a plot and just do action sequences every week.

 

Saturday, February 24, 2024

Around the Tubes: February 24, 2024

       

I have gotten a plethora of cool press releases have been flooding my inbox recently that you may find interesting. This post includes blurbs on Extraordinary, Olivia Rodrigo, Noah Kahan, True Detective, The Thread, Grouplove, Modern English, Kid Cudi, Eddie Vedder, and Chad Powers.


- Hulu has released the official trailer for the highly anticipated second season of the critically-acclaimed comedy "Extraordinary," along with new key art. Check it out below!  The Original series will premiere Wednesday, March 6, only on Hulu in the U.S. and Disney+ in the rest of the world. Season two picks up where season one spectacularly left off, following Jen (Máiréad Tyers) on her powers journey as she enrols as a client at the power clinic. Jen soon discovers that the process of finding her power isn’t as easy as she hoped, and things in the rest of her life aren’t smooth sailing either. Ex-cat, now-boyfriend Jizzlord (Luke Rollason) has had an unexpected revelation about his past, and Kash (Bilal Hasna) and Carrie (Sofia Oxenham) are attempting to be totally mature and dignified about their break-up, which is not easy when they’re still living under the same roof. It seems that Jen and the gang are dealing with new levels of adulting and chaos that none of them are prepared for. 



Multi-Platinum singer-songwriters Olivia Rodrigo and Noah Kahan team up on a special live recording that will be available at participating independent record stores as part of the celebration of Record Store Day. Olivia Rodrigo “Stick Season”/Noah Kahan “Lacy” - FROM THE BBC RADIO 1 LIVE LOUNGE will be released on April 20 via Geffen/Mercury/Republic.  The 7-inch colored vinyl features three-time GRAMMY® Award winner Rodrigo covering Kahan’s breakout hit “Stick Season” on Side A and GRAMMY® Best New Artist nominee Kahan delivering a stunning rendition of “Lacy” from Rodrigo’s chart-topping sophomore album, GUTS, on Side B. “Stick Season,” the lead single from Kahan’s 2022 album of the same name, has been certified 2x Platinum in the U.S. “Lacy” was named as one of the best songs of 2023 by Variety, which noted, “Rodrigo makes poetry out of insecurity like nobody’s business.” More information and participating stores at recordstoreday.com.


Get on the case and catch up on all the clues from HBO’s riveting Emmy Award®-winning limited series, as Warner Bros Discovery Home Entertainment releases True Detective: Night Country on Digital now, and on Blu-ray & DVD July 9. Fans and newcomers alike can binge on all 6 thrilling episodes from Season 4, while they search for answers and go behind the scenes with bonus content.  True Detective: Night Country is available now to purchase Digitally from Amazon Prime Video, AppleTV, Google Play, Vudu and more. The series will also be available on Blu-ray & DVD by purchasing online and in-store at major retailers on July 9. Pre-order your copy now.


Life Stories, a nonprofit media organization that produces and distributes films about people whose lives inspire meaningful change, announced it will stream THE THREAD, a new documentary interview series on YouTube in which exceptional individuals share the different paths they have taken to lead meaningful lives.  16 episodes of THE THREAD will premiere weekly from March 4 - June 17, 2024 and feature interviews with Gloria EstefanMartin SheenKurt "Big Boy" AlexanderTony HawkKatie CouricMitt Romney, and other notable figures. THE THREAD will be made available to the public through the Life Stories website (LifeStories.org), Life Stories YouTube channel, and as a podcast across all major platforms. THE THREAD: Season One trailer can be seen here: https://youtu.be/jE6blJo48Sw


GRAMMY® Best New Artist nominee and multi-platinum singer-songwriter Noah Kahan’s global smash hit “Stick Season” enters the Top 10 on the Billboard Hot 100 Chart this week following the release of the long-awaited, final installment of the Stick Season series, Stick Season (Forever). Released on February 9th via Mercury Records / Republic RecordsStick Season (Forever) debuted in the Top 3 on the Billboard Top 200 Chart, and upon release, “Stick Season” immediately rose to #1 on the Spotify Top Songs USA Chart. Not to mention, this week following his two sold-out shows at London’s Wembley Arena, Kahan achieved a rare album and single charts double in the UK as Stick Season (Forever) topped the UK Official Albums Chart for the first time and “Stick Season” held the #1 position on the UK Official Singles Chart for the seventh consecutive week. Noah joins the likes of Taylor Swift, Harry Styles, and Adele as a select group of superstar artists to have accomplished this incredible achievement.  


 Indie rock mainstays GROUPLOVE release their frenetic new single “Chances” to kick off their headline North American tour. With the band’s vocalist/keyboardist Hannah Hooper at the helm, the new offering is an overstimulated, hallucinogenic, aggressive singsong. A band that transcends their ever-shapeshifting genre, GROUPLOVE too has evolved over the last decade, channeling their ecstatic energy into the deepest tensions of the human psyche, all while playing with the contradictions and complications of existing — Stream “Chances."  With this new single following their 2023 album I Want It All Right Nowand smashing the bottle on the ship of the Rock And Roll You Won’t Save Me Tour, GROUPLOVE will spend the next month on a massive headline run with support from BullyVIP packages for the tour include access to an intimate pre-show soundcheck performance and Q&A, as well as an exclusive fan zine designed by the band. The months of May and June will also see the band make stops at Wildflower! Festival and Bonnaroo. See all upcoming tour dates here and below. 


Modern English is excited to announce the release of 1 2 3 4,  the legendary British new wave/post-punk band’s first album of new material in eight years. Produced by Mario J. McNulty (David Bowie, Lou Reed, Nine Inch Nails), mixed by Cenzo Townsend and mastered at Abbey Road1 2 3 4 retains the intrinsic spirit of these early post-punk days, and is also a sterling sonic example of what Modern English have always done best. The album encompasses seething songs with a punk bite (“Long in The Tooth,” “Plastic”), keyboard-forward melodic rockers ("Not Fake,” "Crazy Lovers") and simmering, darkwave-meets-post-punk gems (“Exploding,” “Out to Lunch”). With a touch of subtle themes lifted from After the Snow (1982) and Ricochet Days (1984) that include the environment, aging, failed relationships, love, politics and more, 1 2 3 4 finds the legendary band delving into nostalgia but, as always, exploring new creative territory. Stream the band’s new single, “Not Fake,” on YouTube HERE. 


Building out an artistic realm without comparison, GRAMMY® Award-winning multi-platinum sonic visionary, artist, producer, actor and director Kid Cudi unveils a brand new offering entitled, INSANO (NITRO MEGA), out now via Republic Records. He has magnified the world of his 2024 ninth studio album, INSANO, with 18 brand new tracks on INSANO (NITRO MEGA). As such, he delivers not just a spiritual successor, but a fully realized body of work in its own right and, as Cudi put it on Twitter, “a continuation, a elevation of the vibes.”  Listen HERE.  It notably includes a like minded cohort of talent, namely Wiz Khalifa, Lil Yachty, Bone Thugs & Harmony, Chip The Ripper and more. Check out the full tracklisting below.


 The second annual Reportin’ For Duty took place last weekend, honoring the late Leslie Jordan’s life of service by raising over $1 Million for EB Research Partnership (EBRP), an organization close to his heart that is dedicated to funding research to treat and cure Epidermolysis Bullosa (EB). The night featured intimate performances from Post Malone, EBRP Co-Founder Eddie Vedder, The War And Treaty, Jelly Roll, Ruby Amanfu, Jake Wesley Rogers and Dan Spencer.  Watch Post Malone and Eddie Vedder perform “Better Man”  Taking place at Humble Baron at Nearest Green Distillery in Shelbyville, TN, the concert and live auction helped support EBRP, which funds innovative and life-saving rare disease research projects.


Hulu announced the series order for half-hour comedy “Chad Powers,” from co-creators and executive producers Glen Powell and Michael Waldron. Eli Manning serves as executive producer along with Omaha Productions’ Peyton Manning, Jamie Horowitz, Ben Brown and ESPN. Waldron and Adam Fasullo are producing for Anomaly Pictures. The series stars Powell, who is also co-creating, co-writing and executive producing under his production co-banner Barnstorm Productions.  It hails from 20th Television.  When bad behavior nukes hotshot QB Russ Holliday’s college career, he disguises himself and walks onto a struggling Southern football team as the talented, affable Chad Powers. Based on the sketch produced by NFL Films and Omaha Productions that aired on ESPN+ as part of the Eli's Places series, the half-hour comedy from 20th Televison will stream on Hulu. Powell and Waldron co-wrote the pilot.

 

Sunday, February 18, 2024

57 Channels and Only This Is On: February 18, 2024

  

True Detective:  It seems like this show started out with an interesting scientists being frozen into an ice sculpture but has been overtaken but some unsolved, generic domestic violence case.  Thankfully there is only one week left.

 

Death and Other Details: Killing some nobody is one thing, but kind of bold that this shadowy figure knocked off a governor.  I guess that will be the downfall of the shadowy figure.

 

La Brea:  The show was just dumb fun for the first two seasons, but budget cuts really hurt this final season with multiple characters only showing up for an episode or two.  But they did regain that dumb fun for the series finale.  The scene with the army with guns being taken down by people with bows and arrows may have been the funniest thing the show has ever down.

 

The Challenge: Battle for a New Challenge:  Repeating Control, Chaos, and Conquest just is not working for the finale.  At least we only have one episode left in this season.  Well, and then probably a two part reunion.

 

Resident Alien:   Harry working in an office may end up being weirder than him being a doctor.  I also cannot imagine it will end well.

 

Ghosts:  I thought the British boyfriend was going to be the one sucked off, but if one of the main characters had to go, it was probably for the best that the hippie was sucked off.  She was the least funny and the I do not remember anything because I took too many drugs is just a one note joke.  I wonder if she will get replaced by the headless guy, or we will just have one less main ghost.

 

Saturday, February 17, 2024

Around the Tubes: February 17, 2024

      

I have gotten a plethora of cool press releases have been flooding my inbox recently that you may find interesting. This post includes blurbs on Wicked, Bob Marley, Rod Stewart, The Black Crowes, and Hulu's spring schedule.


After two decades as one of the most beloved and enduring musicals on the stage, Wicked makes its long-awaited journey to the big screen as a spectacular, generation-defining cinematic event this holiday season.  Wicked, the untold story of the witches of Oz, stars Emmy, Grammy and Tony winning powerhouse Cynthia Erivo (Harriet, Broadway’s The Color Purple) as Elphaba, a young woman, misunderstood because of her unusual green skin, who has yet to discover her true power, and Grammy-winning, multi-platinum recording artist and global superstar Ariana Grande as Glinda, a popular young woman, gilded by privilege and ambition, who has yet to discover her true heart. WICKED – In Theaters November 27.


In conjunction with the upcoming biopic Bob Marley: One Love, which is based on the life of global icon, Island/UMe will be releasing a new limited edition of Bob Marley ’s timeless album, Exodus, on May 24, 2024. Including an exclusive 10” LP of rare bonus tracks and an essay by Jamaican historian Herbie Miller, this all-new package will be encased in a gatefold design for the first time and is available for preorder HERE.  Cited by Time Magazine as the Best Album of the 20th Century (“Every song is a classic, from the messages of love to the anthems of revolution”) and the BBC as the “album that defined the 20th Century,” the legacy of Exodus extends beyond genres, eras, and continents, whose impact propelled Third World culture and politics into the global spotlight.


 To mark Valentine's Day, Sir Rod Stewart and Jools Holland with his Rhythm & Blues Orchestra release Pennies From Heaven," their third offering from the exquisite collaborative album Swing Fever - out February 23rd on Warner Records.  The track sees a sensational interpretation of the early American classic written by Arthur Johnston and Johnny Burke.  As Jools explains, "It’s such a lovely song and you can do it a lot of different ways. The lyrics are very optimistic and positive, and in the mouth of Rod, they're like modern poems of the 20th century. It's an expression of joy and the message of it is, 'It's going to be alright.'"


legendary rock band The Black Crowes debut “Cross Your Fingers,” their second release from their highly anticipated new album Happiness Bastards, dropping March 15th via the band’s own Silver Arrow Records. An electrifying plea against a toxic lover “Cross Your Fingers” couples’ romantic agony with a killer guitar riff, emphasizing the blistering heat of a fraught relationship. Stream “Cross Your Fingers” HERE. Following the exhilarating lead single “Wanting and Waiting,” from the forthcoming album Happiness Bastards, “Cross Your Fingers” packs on the momentum with the urgency of a band who is just getting started. A delicate acoustic introduction makes way for an explosive, guitar-tearing drop and rhythmic chorus infused with the funk and soul of the Robinson Brothers’ Georgia roots. Since its release in January, “Wanting and Waiting” has dominated the airwaves – already top 10 at four radio formats, including AAA, Americana, Active Rock, and Canadian Active Rock.


- Hulu announced launch dates for three forthcoming titles: “Under The Bridge,” “Freaknik: The Wildest Party Never Told,” and “The Contestant.”  Please see below for Hulu's Spring Programming Slate.  Click on the title for the trailer (if available):

SERIES

EXTRAORDINARY SEASON 2 (MARCH 6, 2024,all at once)

WE WERE THE LUCKY ONES (MARCH 28, 2024, 3 episodes at launch, then weekly)

UNDER THE BRIDGE (APRIL 17, 2024, 2 at launch, then weekly)

THANK YOU, GOODNIGHT: THE BON JOVI STORY (APRIL 26, 2024, all at once)


FILMS

FREAKNIK: THE WILDEST PARTY NEVER TOLD (MARCH 21, 2024)

THE CONTESTANT (MAY 2, 2024)


KIDS & FAMILY

DAVEY & JONESIE'S LOCKER (MARCH 22, 2024, all at once)

Saturday, February 10, 2024

Around the Tubes: January 10, 2024

     

I have gotten a plethora of cool press releases have been flooding my inbox recently that you may find interesting. This post includes blurbs on A Gentleman in Moscow, Em Beihold, Noah Kahan, Bob Marley, Garbage, Marcus King, Yard Act, Zara Larsson, The Veronicas, Dylan, The Chiand Dreaming Whilst Black.


SHOWTIME today released first-look images from the new eight-episode series A GENTLEMAN IN MOSCOW and announced it will premiere Friday, March 29 on streaming and on demand for Paramount+ subscribers with the Paramount+ with SHOWTIME plan before its on-air debut on Paramount+ with SHOWTIME on Sunday, March 31 at 9 p.m. ET/PT. The series also will premiere on Paramount+ on March 29 in Canada, the UK and Australia with additional Paramount+ international territories to follow at a later date.   An adaptation of Amor Towles’ internationally best-selling novel, A GENTLEMAN IN MOSCOW follows Count Alexander Rostov, played by Emmy® Award-winning actor Ewan McGregor (Star Wars franchise, Halston, Trainspotting), who, in the aftermath of the Russian Revolution, finds that his gilded past has placed him on the wrong side of history. Spared immediate execution, he is banished by a Soviet tribunal to an attic room in the opulent Hotel Metropol and threatened with death if he ever sets foot outside again. As the years pass and some of the most tumultuous decades in Russian history unfold outside the hotel’s doors, Rostov’s reduced circumstances provide him entry into a much larger world of emotional discovery. As he builds a new life within the walls of the hotel, he discovers the true value of friendship, family and love.

 



- Platinum-certified critically acclaimed singer, songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, and producer Em Beihold returns with her much-anticipated new single “Maybe Life Is Good” out now via Moon Projects/Republic Records.  Listen to “Maybe Life Is Good” HERE.  Fans have clamored for the track’s official release ever since she first posted a snippet of “Maybe Life Is Good” on social media. In advance of its arrival, it has already generated nearly 500K views and counting across platforms.


 GRAMMY® nominated, multi-platinum singer and songwriter Noah Kahan reveals the long awaited final release of the Stick Season series titled Stick Season (Forever), out today via Mercury Records/Republic Records—listen HERE. The 30-track collection includes his new highly anticipated single “Forever” and two new collaborations, “You’re Gonna Go Far” with Brandi Carlile and “Paul Revere” with Gregory Alan Isakov. These three new songs join 21 previously released tracks from 2022’s Platinum-Certified Stick Season and its 2023 follow-up Stick Season (We’ll All Be Here Forever), as well as critically acclaimed collaborations with Post MaloneKacey MusgravesHozierSam FenderGracie Abrams, and Lizzy McAlpine.  Noah says, “I am excited and kind of sad to be releasing ‘Forever,’ alongside these two dream collaborations with Brandi Carlile and Gregory Alan Isakov. Firstly, I’m grateful and beyond proud to be sharing these two songs with artists that have soundtracked my entire life. Gregory and Brandi have written songs that have carried me through pain, loneliness, dramatic life changes, and the entirety of my career. I am so honored to have them on this final re-release.”


The worldwide digital release of the Original Motion Picture Soundtrack from the highly anticipated feature Bob Marley: One Love is available now via UMe/Island Records/Tuff Gong.  Bob Marley and the Wailers — One Love: Original Motion Picture Soundtrack comprises 17 of the late reggae luminary’s best-known recordings, which will be featured in director Reinaldo Marcus Green’s biographical drama. The film debuts in theaters nationwide on Feb. 14. Experience Bob Marley and the Wailers — One Love: Original Motion Picture Soundtrack HERE



Due to demand, influential alternative rock band Garbage is making their 4th studio album, Bleed Like Me, available on vinyl for the first time since it was originally released in 2005. Bleed Like Me is out on April 5 via UMe.  Fully remastered for 2024, this expanded reissue of 2005’s Bleed Like Me includes 2CD, 1LP white vinyl, deluxe 2LP red vinyl, and HD digital formats and features b-sides, rare tracks, remixes and alternate versions of tracks.  PRE-ORDER HERE



Marcus King announced the release of his new Rick Rubin produced album, Mood Swings, released on April 5 via American/Republic Records. In support of this new album, King also announced his 2024 headlining tour across North America and Europe produced by Live Nation and FPC Live!, in addition to dates supporting Chris Stapleton. More information available on https://www.marcuskingofficial.com/ - for information on tickets and pre-sale see below.  Mood Swings is King’s magnum opus, an eclectic symphony of soul that is uniquely timeless and current.  Drawing on King’s darkest moments, it became a beacon of hope for King as he created it, and will be a refuge for anyone going through similar challenges in their lives.



Yard Act have shared "When The Laughter Stops" feat. Katy J Pearson, the final advance preview of their upcoming second album Where's My Utopia? due out on March 1st.  Where's My Utopia? is the follow up to the Leeds band's breakout debut record The Overload, which arrived in January 2022. The Overload was shortlisted for the Mercury Prize after a slew of positive reviews, national radio playlistings, and a placing at #2 on the Official UK Charts. The new album is a co-production between Yard Act and Gorillaz member Remi Kabaka Jr..  Listen to "When The Laughter Stops" feat. Katy J Pearson HERE.  Watch the "When The Laughter Stops" feat. Katy J Pearson video HERE.  Preorder Where's My Utopia? HERE.



Multiplatinum chart-topping global pop powerhouse Zara Larsson releases her brand-new studio album VENUS. Get the 12-track album HERE via Sommer House/Epic Records. Along with the new album, today Zara Larsson has shared the electric official music video for new single “You Love Who You Love.” The video was notably co-directed by Zara herself alongside Viivi Huska. In the clip, Zara stars as a pawnshop owner where you can trade in your ex’s gold for cash, and lends her support to a friend getting over a breakup. Watch it HERE. Just yesterday, Zara Larsson gave the US debut TV performance of “You Love Who You Love” on Good Morning America. Watch it HERE.



- Hitmaking Australian sisters The Veronicas further teased their highly anticipated new album Gothic Summer by unveiling the newest single “Here To Dance.” Over a funk-disco rhythmic bass and shimmery strings, “Here To Dance” reminds you to dance like no one's watching. "This song is about disengaging from drama, whether online or personal, and remaining unbothered," Jessica explains. "’I don't care who's watching, I'm just here to dance’ is a metaphor and a directive to go where the love is." Stream HERE.



- one of the UK’s hottest prospects, rising pop/alt-artist DYLAN, has returned with “The Alibi”, a glittering reintroduction with incisive lyricism that pushes her sound into the upper echelons of pop. The soundtrack to her generation’s heartbreak, the track sees the 24-year old- who was recently nominated for Rolling Stone UK's "Rising Star Award," reaches new heights of vulnerability, while boasting some of her strongest storytelling to date.  Listen to 'The Alibi'  Co-written by DYLAN with Ines Dunn (Mimi Webb) & Jonny Coffer (Beyoncé), “The Alibi” shifts away from the driving guitars normally associated with DYLAN, drawing focus to DYLAN’s crystalline voice placed over synths that build into an irresistibly hooky chorus. A deeply personal, yet relatable pop-anthem, the track documents the aftermath of her greatest, yet most toxic love story. That these lyrics are set to her most polished track to date, makes the song even more striking.



SHOWTIME announced today that the second half of the sixth season of the hit drama series THE CHI will return on Friday, May 10 on streaming and on demand for Paramount+ subscribers with the Paramount+ with SHOWTIME® plan, before making its on-air debut on Paramount+ with SHOWTIME on Sunday, May 12, at 9 p.m. ET/PT. The series is currently in production in Chicago on the remaining eight episodes of the supersized 16-episode season.   Created and executive produced by Emmy® winner Lena Waithe (Twenties, Master of None) under her Hillman Grad banner and executive produced by Academy Award® and Emmy winner Common (Selma), THE CHI is a timely coming-of-age story centering on a group of residents on the South Side of Chicago who become linked by coincidence but bonded by the need for connection and redemption. Produced entirely in its namesake city, THE CHI is produced by 20th Television.


SHOWTIME has picked up a second season of the critically acclaimed half-hour dramedy series DREAMING WHILST BLACK, which garnered industry praise for its inaugural season, including nominations from the 2024 Film Independent Spirit Awards and the NAACP Image Awards. Featuring returning star and BAFTA Award winning co-creator and co-writer Adjani Salmon (Chivalry), season two is expected to commence filming later this year in the UK. The season will premiere in the U.S. on streaming and on demand for Paramount+ for subscribers with the Paramount+ with SHOWTIME plan, on air on Paramount+ with SHOWTIME, and in the UK on BBC Three and iPlayer. The series is co-produced by Big Deal Films in creative collaboration with A24. A24 will also distribute the series globally.  Loosely inspired by real-life events, DREAMING WHILST BLACK season one tells the story of Kwabena (Salmon), an aspiring filmmaker stuck in a dead-end recruitment job who takes the first step toward achieving his dream. Along the way, he is quickly confronted with the tribulations of balancing finances, love, and his own sense of reality. The series was adapted from the web series and acclaimed Big Deal Films-produced BBC pilot of the same name, which earned Salmon the 2022 BAFTA for Emerging Talent: Fiction and Screen International Star of Tomorrow. The show and Salmon have secured additional award recognition within the UK, including The Royal Television Society's 2022 Breakthrough Award win for Salmon and series nominations in the International Emmys and the Broadcast Awards.

 

Sunday, February 04, 2024

57 Channels and Only This Is On: February 4, 2024

  

True Detective:  Is this show really going down the supernatural rabbit hole?  The first season played footsie with it before declaring that humans are the real monsters.  But they are really laying it on thick this season to the point where they really are going to have a hard time explaining how this is all really happening.

 

Death and Other Details:  Wait, they already caught the murderer?  The waitress really did it?  Well, I guess that was the death and now we are moving on to the other details.  Though I got the feeling the Indian dude is the big bad they were speaking of.

 

Percy Jackson and the Olympians:   Ha, Edge got beat up by a little kid.  That would have been the saddest defeat I saw this week if it were not for…

 

La Brea:  Scott asking if this was Back to the Future or Terminator rules is the smartest thing anyone said on this show, even though that was pretty much already asked during Endgame.  Unfortunately we did not get an answer.

 

The Challenge: Battle for a New Challenge:  Ha, ha, ha, ha, ha, ha, ha, ha.  Last week those two duds had to team up to beat a chick and this week they lost to one because they were too dumb to make a chicken out of shapes.  Ha, ha, ha, ha, ha, ha, ha.